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The role of a decision support framework for protected area management effectiveness: a case study from the Western Cape, South Africa
Author(s)
Hayward, Natalie
Date Issued
2024
Type
Thesis
Publisher
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Abstract
Since the early 1990’s there has been a concerted and focussed effort aimed at better understanding
the effectiveness of protected areas (PA) in achieving conservation outcomes, the mechanisms to
measure management effectiveness and ultimately, the drivers of effectiveness and conservation
outcomes. PAs are the largest planned land use globally where land is set aside intentionally for
nature conservation and managers need to account for the investment and state of biodiversity. Most
tools to track and report protected area management effectiveness (PAME) are not designed for
outcomes measurement, the results often oversimplifying complexity, potentially distorting
management effectiveness indications and misinterpreting conservation outcomes. PAME requires
sound planning to ensure that assumptions about the impact of actions and associated interventions
achieve biodiversity representation and persistence, with due consideration for the social-ecological
systems within which PAs exist. Decision support frameworks can help interpret PA context and
clarify assumptions about management intervention impact. Without these frameworks, strategies
may be misguided, and responses to perceived threats might be ad hoc. This thesis examines
changes in PAME assessment results for statutory PAs in a biodiversity hotspot in the Western
Cape, South Africa before and after applying a decision support framework, the Conservation
Standards for the Practice of Conservation, using the Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool
(METT-SA). The thesis also investigates the use of evidence by practitioners for PA management
planning and review, and the contribution of the Conservation Standards for PA management
planning and review. Findings show that METT-SA scores improved significantly after applying the
framework, attributed to time between assessments, management plans, and input and output of PA
management elements. Scores for outcome indicators however declined, suggesting that while
overall scores can improve, they may mask limitations in implementation and/or misaligned PA
objectives and strategy that fail to achieve positive conservation outcomes. The METT-SA highlights
administrative and process gaps but does not drive a positive conservation outcome. Practitioners
use multiple sources of evidence for management planning and review, relying on expert opinion
and analysed data most frequently. The application of the Conservation Standards as a decision
support framework for management panning introduced structure, the early integration of evidence,
and stakeholder participation in planning. The METT-SA has limitations as a standalone measure of
PAME. PAME assessment tools like METT-SA must be supplemented by site level monitoring and
evaluation to accurately determine the condition and trend of the attributes that underpin the
significance of PAs. Employing a decision support framework or adaptive management approach is
likely to improve the quality of planning by introducing stakeholder engagement and scientific
evidence. Moreover, adaptive management promotes a more systemic thinking in management,
moving away from an insular outlook to PA management
the effectiveness of protected areas (PA) in achieving conservation outcomes, the mechanisms to
measure management effectiveness and ultimately, the drivers of effectiveness and conservation
outcomes. PAs are the largest planned land use globally where land is set aside intentionally for
nature conservation and managers need to account for the investment and state of biodiversity. Most
tools to track and report protected area management effectiveness (PAME) are not designed for
outcomes measurement, the results often oversimplifying complexity, potentially distorting
management effectiveness indications and misinterpreting conservation outcomes. PAME requires
sound planning to ensure that assumptions about the impact of actions and associated interventions
achieve biodiversity representation and persistence, with due consideration for the social-ecological
systems within which PAs exist. Decision support frameworks can help interpret PA context and
clarify assumptions about management intervention impact. Without these frameworks, strategies
may be misguided, and responses to perceived threats might be ad hoc. This thesis examines
changes in PAME assessment results for statutory PAs in a biodiversity hotspot in the Western
Cape, South Africa before and after applying a decision support framework, the Conservation
Standards for the Practice of Conservation, using the Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool
(METT-SA). The thesis also investigates the use of evidence by practitioners for PA management
planning and review, and the contribution of the Conservation Standards for PA management
planning and review. Findings show that METT-SA scores improved significantly after applying the
framework, attributed to time between assessments, management plans, and input and output of PA
management elements. Scores for outcome indicators however declined, suggesting that while
overall scores can improve, they may mask limitations in implementation and/or misaligned PA
objectives and strategy that fail to achieve positive conservation outcomes. The METT-SA highlights
administrative and process gaps but does not drive a positive conservation outcome. Practitioners
use multiple sources of evidence for management planning and review, relying on expert opinion
and analysed data most frequently. The application of the Conservation Standards as a decision
support framework for management panning introduced structure, the early integration of evidence,
and stakeholder participation in planning. The METT-SA has limitations as a standalone measure of
PAME. PAME assessment tools like METT-SA must be supplemented by site level monitoring and
evaluation to accurately determine the condition and trend of the attributes that underpin the
significance of PAs. Employing a decision support framework or adaptive management approach is
likely to improve the quality of planning by introducing stakeholder engagement and scientific
evidence. Moreover, adaptive management promotes a more systemic thinking in management,
moving away from an insular outlook to PA management
Additional information
Thesis (Master of Conservation Science)--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2024
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